News

Patients with osteoporosis got some good news at a recent conference when the results of a study showed that taking the drug denosumab can help increase bone density and keep their rate of fractures at a low level.

This is the tale of a 51-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who fell backwards from standing height while climbing out of the bath, and landed on his back.

(EULAR 2014) New research finds erectile dysfunction common among gout patients, and distinctive differences between men and women in predisposing factors and treatment risks.

(EULAR 2014) A comparative study has found cranial ultrasound more sensitive and no less specific than temporal artery biopsy, the current gold standard, for diagnosing giant cell arteritis.

(EULAR 2014) The first international guidelines on the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica have been finalized and presented at the European rheumatologists conference this week in Paris. Publication is forthcoming.

For the first time a study has linked prednisone and other drugs, as well as severity of disease, with difficulty conceiving among women who have rheumatoid arthritis.

The high volume of distal radius procedures combined with an elevated risk for adverse outcomes such as malunion, loss of radial length, inclination, and volar or dorsal angulation make surgeries in the forearm ripe for malpractice claims.

A radiograph to detect the presence of a cervical rib should be mandatory prior to thoracic outlet syndrome surgery as a baseline study.

Reasons why women with lupus change from azathioprine to mycophenolate mofetil or vice versa are different, as is the success of switching.

Is the Atkins diet associated with an increased risk of gout flares? Other rheumatologists want to hear the answer from your clinical experience.

New from Europe: Two questionnaires to help you and your patients assess the impact of psoriatic arthritis on their lives. Both are available online, in English, for free.

Although the primary outcomes of the US National Institutes of Health Women's Health Initiative trial suggested daily calcium plus vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced hip fracture in postmenopausal women, a follow-up investigation found no difference in hip fracture incidence between the study's supplement and placebo groups nearly 5 years after the intervention phase ended.

Could MRI detect the early signs of danger in patients who have not yet manifested symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? New research suggests it can.

Since inactivity accounts for 10-16% of breast cancers, colon cancers, and diabetes cases, as well as 22% of heart disease, some researchers believe too much sitting can cause just as much harm as smoking.

When does gout need treatment? A new set of staging criteria hopes to clarify the answer, and a separate report warns of the risks of unjustified treatment.

For antiphospholipid syndrome, some alternatives to vitamin K antagonists including rituximab and hydroxychloroquine may be suitable, says an international task force. Two clinical trials are recruiting to provide better information.

Patients find it very attractive to self-select a variety of vitamins and supplements that promise to improve their immune system and combat obesity without any dangers or dependence on healthcare professionals, but these claims are just not true.

Honey bee venom is being used to treat pain for multiple sclerosis and osteoarthritis, according to a report from CBS News.

For spinal rheumatic conditions like psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, new research supports aquatic therapies, especially at first, and specialized programs like Pilates.

For people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis that show only mild symptoms of joint pain and swelling, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually the first treatment option to consider.

Ask your patients with psoriatic arthritis whether their disease impacts their work life. Like those in this study, they may say it takes quite a toll. What can you do to help?

The first step in reducing the burden of infection during lupus nephritis is understanding where and how it happens.

Because it is an indicator of general health and a red flag for certain conditions, gait speed alone is proposed as a vital sign.

Up to one-quarter of the 1.6 million amputees in the United States develop painful neuromas that can interfere with even the most carefully fitted prosthetic devices.

Underwater inferential current therapy significantly improves overall hand function in patients whose psoriatic arthritis affects their hands, according to a study published in the April issue of International Journal of Physiotherapy and Research.

The FDA has issued a safety alert warning that epidural corticosteroid injections may rarely cause serious neurological adverse events including loss of vision, stroke or paralysis, or may be fatal.

Anniversaries often prompt reflection, and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing is no exception.

To "Thunder God Vine" from China, add fish oil and gluten-free diets as alternative remedies for rheumatoid arthritis. What is the evidence? Here, a review plus commentary from an expert.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have a 1-in-4 chance of developing chronic kidney disease, according to research published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease.

People with psoriatic arthritis, particularly women, are more likely than psoriasis-only patients to have depression and/or anxiety. Poorly recognized and treated, this problem may affect the success of treatment for PsA.